74 retired US generals, admirals back Iran strikes, warn Tehran seeks to ‘spill American blood’
A group of 74 retired U.S. generals and admirals recently voiced strong support for the joint U.S.-Israel military operation targeting Iran, calling it a necessary response to decades of threats from the Islamic Republic against the United States, its allies and regional stability.
The endorsement came in an open letter published Tuesday by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and signed by dozens of former senior American military commanders.
The letter backs the current military actions, known as Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, which aim to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. forces and partners across the Middle East.
"As retired senior American military leaders, we support the joint U.S.-Israeli military action to degrade and weaken the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten the United States, our allies and partners, and the Iranian people," the letter states. "And we commend the valor of the outstanding United States Military and our Intelligence Community engaged in this operation."
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Among the prominent signatories are former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., who served during the height of the Iraq War; former Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jerome Johnson; former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. W.L. Nyland, who held the post during the early Iraq War; former Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of U.S. European Command Gen. Philip M. Breedlove; and former U.S. Pacific Command chief Adm. Timothy J. Keating.
The retired commanders argue that Iran’s leadership has spent decades threatening American interests and supporting militant groups across the region.
"Since its inception 47 years ago, the radical regime, whose slogan is ‘Death to America, Death to Israel,’ has committed to endangering the lives of U.S. troops, diplomats, and civilians across the Middle East and here at home," the letter says, noting that "hundreds of Americans have lost their lives at the hands of the Islamic Republic and its terrorist proxies."
According to the signatories, the current military campaign is a direct response to Iran's continued efforts to expand its military capabilities.
"U.S.-Israel military action is a response to Iran’s unstinting efforts to make those ambitions a reality," the letter states. "Following last summer’s 12-Day War, Tehran has redoubled its missile building program to hold at risk our bases, our partners, and ultimately our homeland."
Iran’s regional proxy network also remains a central concern, the letter warns. "Its proxy forces in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere continue to threaten U.S. targets, Israel, and freedom of navigation in some of the world’s most vital waterways."
The letter further argues that Iran has continued pursuing nuclear capabilities despite previous military setbacks.
"Since Operation Midnight Hammer against its main enrichment sites last June, Iran has attempted to rebuild elements of its destroyed nuclear infrastructure," the letter states.
The signatories also point to Iran’s domestic repression as evidence of the regime’s nature.
"The regime’s brutal crackdown on protestors showed the entire world just what it is willing to do to keep its people and the region under its thumb," they wrote.
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At the same time, the letter stresses that coordination between the United States, Israel and regional partners will be critical for the campaign’s success.
"For all these reasons, it is noteworthy that the United States is working so closely with Israel and other regional partners," the letter states. "Such cooperation is vital to degrade and eliminate the regime’s arsenals, undermine its organs of oppression, and signal unmistakably that it cannot continue threatening not only core U.S. interests, but the broader security and prosperity of the Middle East and its own population."
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described the joint campaign as a decisive military operation aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile and air defense networks.
Speaking Wednesday, Hegseth said the Israeli and U.S. air forces were quickly establishing air superiority over Iran.
"Starting last night and to be completed in a few days … the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies. Uncontested airspace," Hegseth said.
Critics, however, have warned the operation could have the opposite effect, increasing the risk of a wider regional war.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged restraint following the strikes, warning that further escalation could destabilize the region, while U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that the confrontation could spiral into a broader conflict and called for renewed diplomatic efforts.
Several Democratic lawmakers have also raised concerns about the strikes.
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said he believed the operation amounted to "a war of choice with no strategic endgame."
Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., said after attending a classified briefing that he had not seen evidence of an immediate Iranian threat.
Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at JINSA, said the letter reflects the perspective of commanders who witnessed the Iranian threat firsthand.
"For more than two decades, Iran has been targeting and killing U.S. men and women in uniform," Misztal said. "The retired senior military leaders who signed this letter have seen that threat up close and firsthand. They understand the threat that Iran poses to America, the urgent need to address it, and the tremendous capabilities that the United States and Israel have to do so, together."
While supporting continued military pressure, the signatories concluded that Iran’s long-term future ultimately lies with its citizens.
"It will ultimately be up to the Iranian people to bring down the regime and enable a better future for Iran and the world," the letter states.